NUGEN Audio MasterCheck Overview
NUGEN Audio’s MasterCheck is a comprehensive audio analysis and optimization tool designed specifically for mix and mastering engineers, as well as producers, to ensure their audio content is optimized for various digital music streaming services and playback environments.
Primary Function
MasterCheck’s primary function is to help audio professionals prepare their mixes and masters for the diverse encoding and loudness matching techniques used by streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and digital radio. This tool allows users to hear and visualize how their audio will be affected by different codecs and loudness normalization algorithms, ensuring the final product sounds as intended across various platforms.
Key Features
1. Codec Auditioning
MasterCheck enables real-time auditioning of various audio codecs, including Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, Opus, AAC-LC, HE-AACv1 (AAC ), HE-AACv2 (DAB ), and MP3. This feature helps users understand how their masters respond to different encoding schemes and quality settings.
2. Loudness Measurement and Normalization
The tool measures integrated loudness and peak-to-loudness ratio (PLR or dynamic range), ensuring compliance with loudness normalization standards. It also allows users to mix to specific loudness targets, preventing automatic level adjustments during playback.
3. True Peak Metering
MasterCheck includes true-peak metering to detect and avoid downstream clipping, ensuring the audio remains within the delivery specifications and maintains its quality.
4. Dynamic Content Analysis
The tool measures and monitors dynamic content, helping users to optimize their mixes for the best possible sound on various platforms. It also allows for A/B referencing at matched loudness, enabling comparisons with reference tracks or the uncompressed mix.
5. Codec Distortion Identification
MasterCheck helps identify and mitigate codec distortion and over-compression, ensuring the audio is not degraded during the encoding process.
6. Monitoring and Metering
The tool offers flexible monitoring options, allowing users to switch between metering the selected codecs while maintaining the native DAW audio output, or monitoring the real-time codec stream. This helps in producing a full-resolution mixdown while continuously monitoring for potential issues.
7. Cross-Platform Compatibility
MasterCheck ensures that the audio is optimized for cross-platform compatibility, whether it is for streaming services, podcasts, or digital radio, by providing presets for specific services and devices.
Additional Functionality
- Preparing Mix Dynamics for Mastering: MasterCheck helps in optimizing mix dynamics to ensure they translate well during the mastering process.
- Mastering for Digital Music Services: It provides specific tools and presets to master audio for various digital music services.
- Auditioning Loudness Matched FX Chains: Users can audition different FX chains at matched loudness levels to make informed decisions.
- Comparing to Reference Material: The tool allows for comparisons with reference tracks to measure differences in loudness, PLR, and true peak readings.
In summary, NUGEN Audio’s MasterCheck is an indispensable tool for audio professionals, offering a comprehensive suite of features to optimize and ensure high-quality audio delivery across diverse digital platforms.